At least six people who traveled on the same plane as the Chinese couple who tested positive of the Wuhan virus are now displaying flu-like symptoms, the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced in a presser today.
The police have been tasked with tracking down the passengers who traveled with the couple on Cebu Pacific’s Cebu-to-Dumaguete flight on Jan. 21, and their Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight from Dumaguete to Manila on Jan. 25. Three passengers from each flight have fallen ill, according to Police Col. Rhoderick Armamento, and all have chosen to go into quarantine, either at home or at a hospital.
As of this morning, the PNP was able to make contact with 58 passengers from both flights, 23 from the Cebu Pacific flight and 35 from the PAL flight. They have been unable so far to contact another 74 passengers from the two flights.
“All passengers who have been contacted by the CIDG were advised to avoid unnecessary contact with people and stay at home as much as possible,” Armamento told The Philippine Daily Inquirer.
The Chinese couple, residents of Wuhan, traveled to Cebu from Hong Kong on Jan. 21. The woman was discovered to have been infected after she went to a hospital for a checkup, and she remains confined at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila.
Her companion, meanwhile, died on Saturday, making him the first fatality of the virus outside of China. His body is still waiting to be cremated after several funeral parlors in Manila turned down the job.
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